Tangled
by Swish-Swish
Summary: It's been three years since the fall of Lord Voldemort, and life as a witch is as normal as can be. Whilst out on Ginny's hen do Hermione meets a tall, light haired stranger and her world starts spinning out of control around her.


**I think this is the 3rd time I've tried to start this story. I write a chapter and then cant continue it, but this time it's looking up. So, please read and review and let me know what you think.  
This story follows the books, up to the epilogue. Enjoy! :)**

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**30th May 1991**

Instinctively, she knew it was seven o'clock. Her usual waking time, but instead of feeling 'wide eyed and bushy tailed' like usual, all Narcissa Malfoy wanted to do was sink back into a dark deep sleep.

Peeling her eyes open, images of her nightmare returned.

Her sweet little Draco's face, round and innocent, twisting into the cold gruesome sneering face that was her husbands.

She shivered at the memory of how her husband fell apart at the Dark Lord's destruction. Lucius knew his Lord was still alive, his Dark Mark branded on his arm told him so, but struggled in vain to contact him. Oh, how he remained faithful.

After many months Lucius fell into a deep depression, forgetting his wife and his young son, his heir, because all he had known was worshipping the Dark Lord. He had nothing now, just a bad reputation against the Malfoy name.

So when he was questioned in front of the Wizengamot, he snapped out of it. He needed to clear the Malfoy name and this became his obsession for the next ten years until we were back in the social circles we haunted before the fall of the Dark Lord.

Lucius was sneaky, always making sure he was meticulous in his lie of him being under the Imperius curse whilst worshipping the Dark Lord. Even I began to believe the lie, though I was forcibly made to play along with his charade.

Though for the public eye, he's became a model wizard citizen, But within the walls of his home and in the homes of fellow faithful Death Eaters they searched for their master; though the searches have been few and far between as the years have passed.

The thought that had been haunting Narcissa's mind for past few years came back to her now. He's going to destroy my little boy.

Narcissa grimaced, her nightmares have been becoming more disturbing the closer it got to Draco going to Hogwarts. Maybe I can persuade Lucius to agree with me about letting Draco attend Beauxbaton's instead. I fear that if meant that the Dark Lord could come back to power, Lucius would have Draco defy the famous Dumblebore, the only wizard alive the Dark Lord feared, so that he could be reunited with his master.

Lucius turned over in his sleep and his left arm fell over Narcissa, so his Dark Mark was resting on her stomach. With a shiver, she slowly moved his arm and left the warmth of her bed feeling exhausting and filled with dread.

She stepped in to their spacious en-suite bathroom and summoned Dobby. She told the little elf to wake Draco for breakfast.

After a quick shower, a drying spell, and dressing in her usual home attire, she made one last check in the mirror to make sure her dread and fear were hidden behind her mask of cool confident and control.

Dobby was waiting for her beside her usual chair in the dining room, her copy of the Daily Prophet and her cup of spiced tea were waiting also.

She felt her lips tilting up in a slight smile. Dobby was such a kind elf, she always hated seeing Lucius beating him or kicking him just because he's been brainwashed into thinking house elves and below us wizards and witches. The only way she could praise him was by not beating him as Lucius said she should do.

That first sip of her spiced tea always made the reoccurring nightmares fade from her conscious memory and helped keep her thoughts on track. But even her spiced tea couldn't keep it all away permanently.

"Mother! It's arrived!" Draco came running into the dining room and to my side with a letter fluttering in his hand. The Hogwarts seal gleaming blood red under the light. "My Hogwarts letter has come." His little face glowing with happiness.

Though she could feel the heat from the tea in her hand, her entire boy was as cold as ice.

"Darling, that's ...wonderful." Narcissa tried to make her smile convincing but it felt like her skin was pulled to tight over her face, her mask almost cracking.

"My Beauxbaton's letter has come too." He raised his other hand and the blue tinted parchment came into view. Now her smile felt more genuine.

"I wondered if they had accepted you." She beckoned him to sit in the chair beside her, he did as he was told.

"Of course they would Mother, they were so impressed with me at that interview." He smirked.

"You're a Malfoy, they were bound to be." Narcissa brushed her hand against his cheek. Draco's smile faltered.

"But I thought you wanted me to stay close? That's why you and Father agreed on Hogwarts over Durmstrang. So why Beauxbaton's now?"

"I want you to be closer than Durmstrang. It's too far away for my liking and far too cold anyway. But we do have that holiday home near the school, so your Father and I can go over there for the school holidays." She smiled tenderly at her little boy. He smiled back tentatively, still confused.

"Darling, I want you to become a strong wizard, competent in all magical elements. I just think you'll get more from your studies at Beauxbaton's than at Hogwarts."

"But Mother, Theo's going to Hogwarts." Before Narcissa could reply Lucius had appeared in the doorway.

"His name is Theodore, Draco. Nicknames are beneath Pureloods, it's such a Muggle thing to do." Lucius sneered as Draco dropped his head. "Oh, your Hogwarts letter has arrived. You best go send a reply back now boy." Draco started to stand, but Narcissa kept her hand on his shoulder to hold him down.

"His Beauxbaton's letter has arrived too." Lucius glared at his wife through slitted eyes.

"Narcissa, darling please. We've been through this, the boy is going to Hogwarts."

"Dobby." The house elf appeared with a pop at his mistresses side. "Take Draco to have his breakfast in the library or somewhere. Wherever, make sure there'll be no mess."

Dobby bowed with a 'yes mistress and took Draco's hand with a 'come master Draco, please.'

Once Draco had left, Lucius sat across from his wife. He didn't speak until he was behind his copy of the Daily Prophet.

"You treat that house elf too nicely." With a glare at the headlines that hid her husband, she replied.

"He hasn't done anything that required punishment." Humph, was the reply. "Beauxbaton's are extremely keen to accept Draco, you know. They focus more on the students ability than Hogwarts, he could become a fine wizard, strong and - "

"Narcissa, you are not the school's brochure, I know all of this but he can become all of that at Hogwarts and stay close to us. Like you wanted him too. The friends he already have will be going, so why do you want to send him somewhere else where he knows no one and can just about string a sentence in French?

_Because I don't want him to become like you._

Narcissa stood and gracefully walked round to stand behind her husband, she gently put her hands and his shoulders. Ever so slowly she started to give him one of her famous massages.

"Narcissa." He warned, he knew why she was doing this.

"Lucius." She whispered in his ear, she felt him shiver under her hands. "Darling, I'm thinking of his future. If he's a strong wizard who can talk in fluent French and has perfect elocution , he'd be the perfect bachelor when he comes of age. Beauxbaton's strive for perfection, they do not tolerate low standards. Whereas, I've heard, Hogwarts are slipping. Probably that old fool Dumblebore." Lucius' chuckle was dark and deep. She knew she had him, just time to reel him in.  
"Plus, some of his friends that are going to Hogwarts aren't as good as our Draco, most of them would hold him back from striving to be the best. To do his best." She leaned down to his ear. "I just want what is best for the proud Malfoy name." Hook, line and sinker.

Lucius chuckled again and turned to face Narcissa.

"Wife of mine, with your serpent like mind, how very Slytherin of you." He stood and took her in his arms. "Very well, the boy can go to Beauxbaton's. Now, to seal the deal why don't you put that beautiful mouth of yours to good use." He captured her lips in an heated embrace.

Narcissa's kiss was filled with smugness and relief.

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**So with Draco not going to Hogwarts, he didn't become Harry's arch nemesis. Any other Slytherin can replace him as it, but it doesn't really matter who.**

**You'll have to bare with me for the next chapter as I've been moving so I'm not quite sure in which box the next chapters is in. Oops.****  
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**Please review, thank you!**


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